20080601841789A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Arion LIGHTNING · Marana, AZ · June 1, 2008

Date: June 1, 2008 · 08:16 local
Place: Marana, AZ
Phase of flight: Normal Cruise
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N62JV
NTSB investigation: NTSBSEA08LA149
Reported as: Arion Lightning
Reported engine: AMTR JABIRU3300A
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 1
Pilot’s flight hours: 640 total11 in this make and model4 in the last 90 days

N62JVRegistration cancelled Sep 10, 2013 · Van Heeswyk Jerry LIGHTNINGS/N 7 · Built 2007 Airframe modelVan Heeswyk Jerry LIGHTNING Engine modelJabiru 33004 cycle

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) N62JV was an amateur-built, experimental aircraft in early stages of test flight. The propeller assembly separated from the engine in-flight at (or near) traffic pattern altitude, it was found approx. 6 tenths of a mile northwest of the aircaft wreckage. There is no determination of what caused the propeller to separate from the aircraft at this time. One witness reported observing the propeller separate from the aircraft in-flight. This information helped locate the propeller assembly. High angle-low energy impact with the ground; no cause factor determined at this time. All flight controls were located within the accident site. Pilot was fatally injured.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) N62JV WAS AN AMATEUR-BUILT, EXPERIMENTAL AIRCRAFT IN EARLY STAGES OF TEST FLIGHT. THE PROPELLER ASSEMBLY SEPARATED FROM THE ENGINE IN-FLIGHT AT (OR NEAR) TRAFFIC PATTERN ALTITUDE, IT WAS FOUND APPROX. 6 TENTHS OF A MILE NORTHWEST OF THE AIRCAFT WRECKAGE. THERE IS NO DETERMINATION OF WHAT CAUSED THE PROPELLER TO SEPARATE FROM THE AIRCRAFT AT THIS TIME. ONE WITNESS REPORTED OBSERVING THE PROPELLER SEPARATE FROM THE AIRCRAFT IN-FLIGHT. THIS INFORMATION HELPED LOCATE THE PROPELLER ASSEMBLY. HIGH ANGLE-LOW ENERGY IMPACT WITH THE GROUND; NO CAUSE FACTOR DETERMINED AT THIS TIME. ALL FLIGHT CONTROLS WERE LOCATED WITHIN THE ACCIDENT SITE. PILOT WAS FATALLY INJURED.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB SEA08LA149Accident · 1 fatalLimited investigationFinal reportMarana, AZThe insufficient clamping force resulting in a fatigue fracture of the propeller extension attachment bolts and subsequent separation of the propeller assembly in flight. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's failure to maintain sufficient airspeed to…Jun 1, 2008 · Substantial damage